Air-suction apparatus



Dec. 24, 1929. A. A. CLARKE AIR SUCTION APPARATUS Filed Feb. 28, 1927Patented nee. .24, 19 9 UNITED sTATEs PATENT.

OFFICE A. cum, or omosso, rLLm'ors AIR-SUCTION APPARATUS Applicationfiled February 28, 1927. semi No. 171,400.

in the manufacture thereo while securing e cient-cleanin'g action; andother features which will appear from the following description of anexemplification of the invention, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, wherein p ig. 1 is a vertical-sectional viewthrough a cleaner exemplifying the invention, along line I-I in Fig. 3;r

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the cleaner;

Fig. 3 is-a plan view of the cleaner; Fig. 4 is an elevational view ofthe rear. side of the cleaner; and

Fig. 5' is a transverse, vertical sectional view of the cleaner alongline VV in Fig. 1. The ,tool of the present invention is a modificationof the tool described and claimed in my co-lpending application SerialNo. 169,379, filed .ebruary 18, 1927, and distinguishes therefrom inseveral respects, particularly referred to hereinafter.

- The tool comprises a circular fan l of' a familiar type mounted on athreaded forward end of a shaft 2 of an electric driving motor 3 mountedin the rear of the fan, coaxially therewith. The fan and the motor arehoused enclosing t e motor, a chamber 6 surrounding the fan, a suctionnozzle or intake duct 7 extending'from a central opening in the fanchamber dpposite the center of the fan, and an exhaust or discharge duct8 extending from the upper side of the'fan chamber and leading above themotor chamber and directlya djoining the same. The front end of thenozzle has a relatively narrow, downwardl in a casin constituting atubular" chamber 5.

directed, elongated intake-opening 9. T e" rear end of the dischargeduct 8 forms a delivery port 10, over which may be secured a dust bag11, only a portion of which is shown. I

The suction or intake duct 7 in front of the chamber is of such lengthand shape as to constitute a grip readily fitting the palm of the oerator. This grip is particularly suitable or cleaning operations inwhich the tool is held in'vertical position with the intake opening 9 ofthe nozzle directed toward a vertically-upstanding cleaning surface.When so operated, the motor hangs directly below the hand of theoperator and'does not pro-- duce any excessive strains as was the casewith prior art tools of this ty e.

A distinguishin feature 0 the invention is the utilization o the casingportion constitilting the discharge duct 8 on the top of the motorchamber as a second grip for operating the tool. As seen in thedrawings, the main portion of the discharge duct constitutes a.flattened or oval tubular chamber of smaller diameter than thesubstantially circular motor chamber 5. The upper side 15'of thedischarge duct is slightly rounded and is of such width as to fitthe-palm of the operator. The side walls 16 of the duct are turnedinwardly,

converging towards the wall of the motor chamber and forming grooves 17at both sides of the duct along the lines where the two chambers'arejoined by'the wall separating the same. Accordingly, the tool may beconveniently gripped at said portion of the duct,

the palm lying on the top of the duct and the fingers having aconvenient hold of the tool within the two grooves on the sides of "theduct.

- With the tool held at said second grip it is particularly adapted foruse in horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 1,the weight of mitseconomical manufacture thereof and eliminates laboriousand expensivemachinother along two parallel planes 21, 22, transverse to the motoraxis, one plane extending through the fan chamber 6 at the point wheresaid chamber adjoins the motor chamber in front of the .motor, the otherplane being at the rear end of the motor chamber. The motor casing isthus divided into three parts, the front part consisting of the portionsconstituting the fan chamber 6 and the intake nozzle 7; the central partcomprising the side and front walls of the motor chamber 5 and the mainportion of the discharge duct 8- which serves as a grip above the motor;and a rear part constituting the back cover 25 for the motor chamber andthe rearend and delivery port of-the discharge duct.

' With the foregoing construction, the manufacture and assembly of thetool is very simple. The three parts of the tool casing may be made bycasting, from aluminum for instance, or another light material.Thereupon the cooperating two pairs of surfaces may be readily machined,said surfaces being perfectly plane and parallel to each other. Afterthe casing-portions have been so prepared, the motor 3 is inserted intothe motor chamber through the open rear end thereof, the front end ofthe shaft being j'ournaled within the front wall of the motor chamber.

The field core member 29 of the motor is locked in place'by means oftwolocking screws 30 extending through the side walls of the chamber. Theside walls of the motor chamber have also brush holder openings 31, inwhich are mounted brush holder cartridges 32 for guiding brushes 33cooperating with the commutator 35 of the motor. The rear cover 25 isthereupon fitted over the rear opening of the motor chamber 5,journaling the rear end of the motor shaft and complementing thedischarge duct 8, the cover being suitably fastened by means of aplurality of screws36.

- With the motor so assembled within the casing, theassembly of thetool. is completed by securing the front part of the casing over thefan, the front part being held inplace by means of a plurality of screws40 extending through suitable lugs projecting from the easing walls. Thefact that the plane along which the front portion of the casing is oinedto the motor portion of the casing is perfectlyfiat, enables saidportions to be machined by simple disk grinding operations, greatlyfacilitating the fit between the two portions, and securin an air-tightjoint at the oints where the nee portion 41 of the disc arge duct joinsthe 'staright ductupor tion on the top of the motor.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a SHQtIOII QIBaIIBI, a rotary fan, an

electric fan-driving motor in the rear of said fan coaxially therewith,acasing comprising a chamber surrounding said fan, a chamber surroundingsaid motor, an intake duct extending from said fan chamber, and adischarge duct extending from said fan chamber and leading adjacent saidmotor cham ber alongside thereof, said discharge duct constituting anelongated protuberance extending alongside said motorchamber and fittingthe palm of the operator for gripping the cleaner.

2. In a suction cleaner, a rotary fan, an electric fan-driving motordisposed in the rear of thefan coaxially therewith, a casing comprisinga chamber surrounding said fan, a chamber-surrounding said motor, an

intake duct extending from a central open-' ing in the front wall ofsaid fan chamber, and a discharge duct. adjoining said motor chamberalongside thereof, said discharge duct constituting an elongatedprotuberance extending alongside said motor chamber and fitting the palmof the operator for gripping the cleaner.

3..In a suction cleaner, a rotary fan, a motor coaxially disposed intherear of the 'fan for driving the same, a casing compris ing a chamberfor said fan, a tubular chamher for said motor disposed in the rear ofsaid fan chamber and separated therefrom by a partition wall, an intakeduct extending from a central opening in the front wall of said fanchamber, a discharge duct constituting a protuberance extendingalongside said motor chamber from the front end to the rear end thereof,said discharge ducthavingaknee portion communicating with the peripheryoport-at the end thereof, said protuberance having longitudinal grooveson the sides thereof for gripping the same to operate the tool.

4. In a suction cleaner, a rotary fan, an electric fan-driving motordisposed in the rear of the fan coaxially therewith, a casing comprisinga chamber surrounding said fan, a chamber surrounding said motor, anintake duct extending from a central opening in the front wall of saidfan chamber, and a discharge duct adjoining said motor chamber alongsidethereof, said discharge duct constituting an elongated protuberanceextending alongside said motor chamber and fitting the palm of theoperator for gri ping the cleaner, said casing being divide into twocham er transversely to the motor axis.

arts along a plane through said fan said fan chamber, and adelivery I 5.In a suction cleaner a rotary fan, a

motor coaxially disposed in the rear of the fan for drivin the same, acasing comprising a cham er for sald fan,-a tubular I, chamber for saidmotor disposed in the rear of said fan chamber and se arated therefromby a partition wall, aninta e duct extending from a central opening inthe front Wall of said fan chamber, a discharge duct constituting aprotuberance extending alongside said motor chamber from the front endto the rear end thereof, said discharge duct having a lmee portioncommunicating with the periphery of said fan chamber, and a deliveryport at the end thereof, said protuberance having longitudinal grooveson the sides thereof for gripping the same to operate the tool, saidcasing being divided into three 'in .tegral sections, along a planeextending through said fan chamber in front of the partition wallseparating the motor chamv.

berfrom said fan chamber, and along a plane extending in front of therear wall of said motor chamber, said planes being perpendicular to theaxis of said motor.

6. In a suction cleaner, a rotary fan, an

'electric fan-driving motor in the rear of said fan, a casing comprisinga chamber surrounding said fan, a chamber surrounding said motor, and anair duct extending. from said fan, said air duct constituting anelongated protuberance extending alongside said motor chamber andfitting the palm of the operator for gripping the cleaner.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 19th day ofFebruary, A. D. 192

ALEX A. CLARKE.

